Degradable Perforating Assembly for Well Completion Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current perforating systems for subterranean wells face challenges in efficiently forming and controlling perforations, particularly in creating effective fluid communication between the well casing and the earth formation, and in managing flow through these perforations.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a perforating assembly with a perforator, firing head, control module, and flow restrictor, which includes a self-destruct mechanism and degradable components, allowing for precise control of perforation formation and flow management through the use of degradable materials and sensors to ensure accurate placement and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a perforating assembly is used to form perforations through well casing, then fluid communication between the formation and casing is achieved, but the assembly creates potential hazards if not properly degraded after use
Solution Approach 1:
The perforating assembly uses degradable materials that change their physical or chemical properties under specific conditions (such as exposure to formation fluids, temperature, or pressure). This parameter change enables the assembly to transition from a functional state (providing fluid communication) to a degraded state (eliminating hazards), thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and hazard prevention.
2Reliability
If multiple zones are perforated sequentially, then comprehensive fluid communication is achieved, but the operation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The perforating assembly is pre-configured with multiple perforators positioned to target different zones. By preparing the assembly in advance with the necessary components and positioning mechanisms, the system can efficiently perforate multiple zones in sequence without significant delays, thus reducing the overall operation time while maintaining comprehensive fluid communication.
3Ease of operation
If flow control mechanisms are integrated into the perforating assembly, then flow management is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The perforating assembly merges flow control mechanisms with the perforation formation components into an integrated unit. By combining these functions into a single assembly that can be deployed together, the system achieves improved flow management capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity through unified design and shared structural elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A well completion system can include fluid flow through a flow passage, and one or more diverters deployed into the flow passage downhole of a perforating assembly, the diverters and the perforating assembly being concurrently displaced by the fluid flow. A perforating assembly can include a perforator, and a control module including a memory, a motion sensor, a timer, and a controller that causes the perforator to fire in response to a lack of motion for a predetermined period of time. A well completion method can include flowing fluid through a flow passage, deploying a perforating assembly into the flow passage, and displacing the perforating assembly through the flow passage by the fluid flow at a predetermined flow rate for a predetermined flow time, and ceasing the fluid flow at an end of the predetermined flow time, thereby placing the perforating assembly at a desired location for forming perforations.